摘要：赵峰的脸上挂着我再熟悉不过的笑容，那种带着点憨厚，又有点“我都是为你好”的无辜表情。

赵峰说出那句话的时候，签约中心的水晶吊灯正明晃晃地照着我的脸。

有点刺眼，像无数根细小的针，扎得我眼睛发酸。

“小曼，你看……咱们是不是把我妈的名字也加上？”

他声音不大，带着点小心翼翼的试探，尾音甚至有点讨好的上扬。

我握着笔的手，停在了半空中。

笔尖悬在签名栏上方，就差那么一毫米，就要落下去。

我缓缓地，一寸一寸地，把头转过去看他。

赵峰的脸上挂着我再熟悉不过的笑容，那种带着点憨厚，又有点“我都是为你好”的无辜表情。

我看着他，像在看一个突然闯入签约现场的陌生人。

坐在我们对面的房产中介小王，脸上的职业微笑僵硬了一秒，然后迅速调整成一种“我什么都没听见”的观望姿态，眼观鼻，鼻观心。

空气安静得可怕。

只有中央空调的出风口在嗡嗡作响，吹出来的冷风像刀子一样刮着我的皮肤。

“你再说一遍？”我的声音很平静，平静到我自己都觉得陌生。

赵峰的笑容有点挂不住了，他伸手过来想拉我的手，被我躲开了。

“小曼，你别生气，你听我解释。”

“我妈她……她一个人把我们兄弟俩拉扯大不容易，一辈子没住过什么好房子。她也没别的意思，就是……就是想有个念想，有个安全感。”

他说得情真意切，眼眶甚至有点泛红。

好一出母慈子孝的感人大戏。

我差点就要为他鼓掌了。

安全感？

我的安全感呢？

我看着合同上那个刺眼的数字，首付八十万。

这八十万，是我林曼，一个字一个字敲出来的，一个项目一个项目熬出来的。

是我连续三年，没在凌晨两点前睡过觉换来的。

是我为了省钱，午饭只敢点十五块钱的盒饭，连杯奶茶都要犹豫半天攒下来的。

是我把一个设计师的尊严和健康，打包卖给甲方，换回来的血汗钱。

这里面，有他赵峰一分钱吗？

没有。

一分都没有。

我们结婚三年，他工资卡上的钱，每个月准时准点，一分不差地转给他妈。

美其名曰，“妈帮忙存着，年轻人花钱大手大脚”。

我当时还觉得，嗯，赵峰真是个孝顺的好男人。

现在想来，我真是个天字第一号的大傻瓜。

“你的意思是，我辛辛苦苦挣钱买的房子，写上你妈的名字，给她安全感？”我终于开了口，每一个字都像是从牙缝里挤出来的。

“小曼，话不能这么说，我们是夫妻啊，你的不就是我的吗？我的不还是你的吗？”他开始急了，声音也大了起来。

“你的？”我冷笑一声，“赵峰，你每个月那八千块工资，我见过一分吗？家里的水电煤气，物业费，日常开销，哪一样不是我付的？你管这叫‘你的’？”

“我那不是……我那不是让我妈存着，为了我们以后嘛！”他还在狡辩。

“为了我们以后？为了我们以后，就是让你妈拿着你的工资卡，然后在我买的房子上，写她的名字？”

我的声音也忍不住拔高了。

中介小王尴尬地咳嗽了两声，起身说：“要不……我先出去给二位倒杯水？”

他逃也似的离开了这个修罗场。

赵峰看我态度坚决，脸也沉了下来，语气里带上了指责。

“林曼，你怎么能这么想我妈？她老人家能图你什么？她就是想老了有个依靠！你作为儿媳妇，就不能体谅一下吗？非要这么斤斤计较？”

“斤斤计较？”

这个词像一把淬了毒的匕首，精准地插进了我的心脏。

我为了这个家，省吃俭用，熬夜加班，熬到内分泌失调，满脸爆痘。

我为了照顾他的面子，朋友聚会永远抢着买单，说我项目奖金多。

我为了他那个“孝顺”的名声，每次回他老家，给他妈买的礼物永远是最贵的，给自己爸妈的，都是网购打折货。

现在，他居然说我“斤斤zino计较”？

我的心一点一点地冷下去，冷到最后，只剩下一片冰封的荒原。

我拿起桌上的笔，不是为了签名。

而是“啪”的一声，用力扔在了光洁的桌面上。

笔弹跳了几下，滚落到地上。

“这房子，我不买了。”

我说完，拿起我的包，头也不回地朝门外走去。

赵峰愣住了，等他反应过来追出来的时候，我已经按了电梯。

“林曼！你疯了是不是！定金都交了五万！你说不买就不买？”他在电梯门外咆哮。

电梯门缓缓合上，隔绝了他那张因为愤怒而扭曲的脸。

我靠在冰冷的电梯壁上，看着镜子里那个脸色惨白，眼神却异常明亮的女人。

疯了？

或许吧。

但我觉得，我这辈子都没这么清醒过。

回到家，我把自己摔进沙发里，脑子里乱成一团。

手机嗡嗡地响个不停，屏幕上闪烁着“老公”两个字。

我看着那两个字，觉得无比讽刺。

我没接。

过了一会儿，电话挂断了，微信消息像轰炸一样弹出来。

“小曼，你到底在哪？”

“你别冲动，我们有话好好说。”

“我知道你辛苦，但你也不能这么不讲道理啊！”

“房子我都看好了，我们都很喜欢不是吗？”

“你先回来，我们商量一下，加个名字而已，至于吗？”

至于吗？

我看着最后那三个字，气得浑身发抖。

他永远都这样。

把所有的问题都轻描淡写，把所有的矛盾都归结于我的“小题大做”。

我闭上眼，过去三年的种种，像电影快放一样在脑海里闪过。

他妈第一次来我们租的房子，转了一圈，撇着嘴说：“这厨房也太小了，油烟机也不行，做个饭都施展不开。”

那时候，我刚毕业，租了个三十平的一居室，我觉得那是我的天堂。

他妈生日，我用第一个月的工资，给她买了一条一千多的金项链。她嘴上说着“哎呀太破费了”，转身就跟亲戚炫耀：“我儿媳妇买的，有心呢！就是眼光不怎么样，款式有点老。”

我们结婚，我爸妈体谅赵峰家里条件不好，彩礼一分没要，还陪嫁了一辆十万块的车。

他妈逢人就说：“我们家赵峰有本事，娶媳妇一分钱没花，还带回来一辆车。”

仿佛那是我上赶着倒贴他们家。

这些事情，我从来没跟赵峰计较过。

我觉得，婚姻嘛，就是你退一步，我让一步。老人家的思想观念不一样，我们做晚辈的，多包容一点。

可是我的包容，换来了什么？

换来了得寸进尺。

换来了理所当然。

换来了在我用血汗钱买的房子上，要加上他妈的名字。

凭什么？

我猛地从沙发上坐起来。

凭什么我要受这个委屈？

我的人生，为什么要被这一家子吸血鬼绑架？

就在这时，手机又响了。

这次，是婆婆打来的。

我深吸一口气，按了接听。

电话那头传来婆婆一贯的、带着点居高临下的关切声音：“小曼啊，你跟赵峰怎么回事啊？怎么还闹脾氣了呢？”

“妈，您应该问问您的好儿子。”我语气冰冷。

婆婆似乎噎了一下，然后立刻换上了委屈的腔调。

“哎哟，赵峰都跟我说了。你这孩子，怎么这么不懂事呢？加个名字而已，又不是要抢你的房子。”

“再说了，我这不也是为了你们好吗？我帮你们看着，省得你们年轻人乱花钱。以后这房子，不还是你们的？我还能带到棺材里去不成？”

她说得理直气壮，仿佛是在施舍我天大的恩惠。

“是吗？”我冷笑，“您的意思是，我花钱买的房子，写上您的名字，是我占了便宜？”

“你这孩子怎么说话呢？什么叫你花钱买的？你跟赵峰是夫妻，一家人，分那么清楚干什么？伤感情！”

“我们家赵峰是独生子，他的一切以后都是我儿子的，你的不就是我儿子的，我儿子的不就是我的吗？绕来绕去，不都是我们家的？”

我听着电话里传来的这番强盗逻辑，气到极致，反而笑了出来。

是啊，她终于把心里话说出来了。

在他们眼里，我林曼这个人，连同我挣来的所有财产，都只是他们赵家的附属品。

“妈，您说得对。”我突然平静下来。

婆婆大概以为我被说服了，语气立刻得意起来：“就是嘛，你想通了就好。一家人，和和气气的比什么都强。赶紧去把合同签了，别让中介看笑话。”

“我是想通了。”我一字一句地说，“我想通了，这家人，我待不下去了。这儿媳妇，谁爱当谁当去吧。”

说完，我直接挂了电话，然后利落地将她和赵峰的号码，全部拉黑。

世界清静了。

但我心里的那团火，却越烧越旺。

不买？

就这么算了？

那我的五万块定金怎么办？我这几年的青春和辛苦算什么？

凭什么他们一句话，就要毁掉我所有的努力和期盼？

不。

我不能就这么算了。

我坐在黑暗里，看着窗外城市的万家灯火，一个疯狂的念头，像一颗种子，在我心里迅速生根发芽。

你们不是想要这套房子吗？

你们不是觉得写上名字就万事大吉了吗？

好啊。

我偏不让你们如愿。

我打开手机，翻出通讯录。

我的手指划过一个个名字，最后停在了一个备注为“金牌销冠小李”的号码上。

这个小李，是另一家中介的。之前带我看房的时候，那叫一个热情似火，死缠烂打。虽然有点油腻，但业务能力是没得说的。

当时我嫌他太 pushy，就选了现在这个看起来更老实的小王。

现在看来，有时候，就需要这种狼一样的执行力。

我看了看时间，晚上九点半。

管不了那么多了。

我拨通了小李的电话。

电话响了两声就被接起，小李那标志性的大嗓门传了过来：“喂！林小姐！晚上好啊！是不是又有什么笋盘推荐给您？”

“小李。”我的声音因为激动而有些沙哑，“你现在有空吗？我想跟你谈一笔生意。”

“有空有空！林小姐您吩咐，刀山火海我都去！”

“我刚定了一套房子，汇景湾三期，12栋801，102平，南北通透，精装修。首付八十万，总价两百六十万。”

“哇！恭喜林小姐啊！这套我知道，绝对的好房子！您眼光真毒！”小李在那头恭维着。

“我现在不想买了。”我打断他。

小李愣了一下：“啊？为什么啊林小姐？那房子多好啊，错过这个村就没这个店了！”

“我不想买了。”我重复了一遍，语气不容置疑，“而且，我想把它卖了。”

电话那头沉默了足足十秒钟。

我甚至能听到他倒吸一口凉气的声音。

“林……林小姐，您没开玩笑吧？您这还没过户呢，怎么卖啊？”

“还没签正式合同，但我交了五万定金，签了认购协议。协议在我手上。”我说，“小李，我知道你有办法。我现在只有一个要求，快。”

“我要在最短的时间内，把它转手出去。价格可以商量，但必须快。最好是……今晚。”

小李又沉默了。

我知道这个要求很疯狂，近乎無理取鬧。

但我也知道，对于一个真正的销冠来说，没有不可能的生意，只有不够诱人的佣金。

“小李，”我加重了筹码，“如果今晚能找到买家，签了意向合同，佣金我给你双倍。”

“……林小姐，”小李的声音瞬间变得严肃而专业，“您说真的？”

“真的。”

“您现在在哪？我马上过去找您！”

“就在我家。地址我微信发你。”

挂了电话，我长长地舒了一口气。

心脏还在砰砰狂跳，一半是紧张，一半是报复的快感。

我打开电脑，把我这几年做的所有项目文件、设计稿、聊天记录，分门别类，全部加密打包，上传到了我的私人云盘。

然后，我格式化了电脑里所有和我工作相关的内容。

做完这一切，我走进卧室，打开衣柜。

属于我的衣服、包、鞋子，其实只占了衣柜的一半。

另一半，是赵峰的。

我看着那些我给他买的衬衫、领带、外套，每一件，都像是在嘲笑我的愚蠢。

我拿出行李箱，开始收拾我的东西。

只拿必需品。证件、银行卡、几件换洗的衣服、我的笔记本电脑。

那些瓶瓶罐罐的化妆品，我一样没拿。

那些我精心挑选的家居装饰，我一样没碰。

这个我曾经用心布置，以为会是我一辈子归宿的地方，现在看来，不过是一个笑话。

门铃响了。

我知道是小李来了。

我打开门，小李站在门口，头发梳得油光锃亮，一身笔挺的西装，脸上带着亢奋的红光，眼睛里闪烁着人民币的光芒。

“林小姐，情况我路上都了解了一下。”他开门见山，专业素养全开，“您这个属于紧急转让，法律上叫‘转定’。操作起来有点难度，但不是不行。”

“关键在于两点。第一，找到一个能接受这种方式，并且能马上拿出钱的买家。第二，原来的房东要同意配合我们操作。”

我把认购协议递给他：“房东那边，协议上写了，如果我违约，定金不退。如果我能找到人接手，他们没理由不同意，反正都是卖。”

小李接过协议，仔细看了两遍，点点头：“对，理论上是这样。那现在唯一的难点，就是买家。”

他搓了搓手，眼神亮得吓人：“林小姐，您运气好。我手上正好有一个客户，山西来的煤老板，就想在汇景湾买一套，全款！他之前看中的一套被人抢了，正着急上火呢셔。您这套的户型和楼层，他肯定喜欢。”

“唯一的问題是，价格。”小李看着我，“这种急售，买家肯定要砍价的。而且，他必须一次性拿出八十五万，五万转给您，八十万直接付给开发商。”

“他能砍多少？”我问。

“我估计，他会把总价压到两百五十万左右。”小李说，“等于您这五万定金，就当是打水漂了，甚至可能还要稍微贴一点手续费。”

五万块。

我一个月的工资。

我心疼吗？

疼。

但比起被那对母子恶心一辈子，这五万块，是我买断过去的赎身费。

值。

“可以。”我果断地说，“你现在就联系他。只要他能馬上签约，马上打钱，两百五十万就两百五十万。”

小李的眼睛更亮了。

他立刻拿出手机，走到阳台去打电话。

我能听到他压低了声音，但依然掩饰不住兴奋的语气。

“喂，王总！跟您说个天大的好消息！汇景湾有套房子出来了！对对对，就是您之前看上的那个户型！12栋8楼！视野绝佳！”

“情况有点特殊，原来的买家……嗯，家里出了点事，急着转手。价格嘛……王总，我跟您说，这是捡漏的好机会啊！”

“两百五十万！一口价！但是要全款，而且今晚就得定下来！”

我听着小李在那边舌灿莲花，心里 strangely calm.

It felt like I was watching a movie, and I was just an observer.

A few minutes later, Li came back in, his face flushed with victory.

"Done! He agreed! He's on his way to the bank to transfer the money right now. He asked me to draw up a transfer agreement first. Once the money is in your account, we'll sign it!"

My heart, which had been hanging in my throat, finally settled back into my chest.

A wave of dizziness washed over me, a mixture of exhaustion and relief.

It was really happening.

I was really selling the house.

The house that I had poured all my dreams and efforts into.

The house that had become the catalyst for the end of my marriage.

Li worked quickly, pulling out a laptop and a portable printer from his oversized briefcase. He drafted a tripartite agreement for the transfer of the deposit, listing me as Party A, the new buyer as Party B, and the developer as Party C (to be confirmed later).

As he was typing, my phone, which I had set to silent, lit up.

It was a message from my best friend, Chen Jing.

"What's going on? Your mother-in-law just called my mom, crying and saying you ran away from home and want a divorce. Are you okay?"

Seeing her message, a wave of warmth flowed through my heart.

In this cold and absurd night, she was my only comfort.

I called her back.

"Jingjing," my voice was hoarse.

"My God, Manman, what happened? You sound terrible. Where are you?" Chen Jing's anxious voice came from the other end.

I took a deep breath and told her everything that had happened, from the signing center to my decision to sell the house.

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, then an explosion.

"FUCK! Are they insane?! Adding his mom's name? Does he have any shame? That's your money, your hard-earned money!"

Her righteous indignation was like a balm on my wounded heart.

"I'm selling it," I said calmly. "I've already found a buyer."

"Good for you! Sell it! That's the right move! Don't let that disgusting family get their hands on it! Where are you now? I'll come pick you up!"

"I'm at home, packing. The agent is here."

"Don't stay there. It's not safe. Pack your things and come to my place. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

Hanging up the phone, my eyes welled up.

This is what a real family is.

Someone who stands by you unconditionally, who gets angry for you, who worries about you.

Not someone who calculates and schemes to take what's yours.

An hour later, everything was settled.

The new buyer, Mr. Wang, was as decisive as Li had described. He didn't even show up in person. He had his assistant handle everything.

I received a bank notification on my phone: a transfer of 50,000 yuan.

My five万定金回来了。

I signed my name on the transfer agreement, my hand steady and firm.

The agent Xiao Li, holding the agreement with my signature, was so happy he almost bowed to me.

"Thank you, Miss Lin! Thank you for your trust! Don't worry, I'll handle the rest of the procedures with the developer. You won't have to worry about a thing!"

I looked at him, at his greasy but sincere smile, and for the first time, I didn't find him annoying.

"Thank you," I said.

Just as I was about to leave with my suitcase, Chen Jing arrived.

She burst in, saw the suitcase by my feet, and immediately pulled me into a tight hug.

"It's okay, it's okay. You have me."

I buried my face in her shoulder, and the tears I had been holding back all night finally streamed down.

I wasn't crying out of sadness or regret.

I was crying to say goodbye to my stupid past.

Chen Jing drove me to her apartment.

It was a small but cozy two-bedroom unit that she owned herself.

She gave me a new set of pajamas, a new toothbrush, and a hot cup of honey water.

"Take a shower and get some sleep. We'll talk tomorrow. The sky won't fall."

I lay on the soft bed in her guest room, wrapped in a clean, fresh-smelling quilt.

For the first time in three years, I felt a sense of security that had nothing to do with a man or a house.

This security came from myself.

From my ability to make money, from my courage to cut my losses, and from the unwavering support of my friend.

I fell asleep almost instantly.

I slept for a full ten hours, a deep, dreamless sleep.

When I woke up, the sun was streaming into the room.

I felt like I had been reborn.

I picked up my phone. There were dozens of missed calls and unread messages.

All from Zhao Feng.

The messages went from pleading and anxious to questioning and angry.

"Manman, where did you go? I was so worried."

"I was wrong, okay? I shouldn't have said that. Let's not add her name. Can you just come home?"

"Why aren't you answering my calls? Are you with Chen Jing?"

"Lin Man, what the hell are you doing? You think running away from home will solve the problem?"

"The agent from the developer called me. He said you transferred the subscription. What does that mean? Who did you transfer it to?"

"Lin Man! You sold the house?! Are you fucking crazy?! Answer the phone!!!"

The last message was sent at 7 a.m., filled with fury and disbelief.

I could almost see his distorted face through the screen.

I calmly deleted all the messages.

Then, I opened my contacts and unblocked him.

I sent him a message.

"I'm not crazy. I've never been more sober. The house is sold. Let's get a divorce."

I attached a picture.

It was a picture of a divorce agreement I had downloaded online and filled out.

Property division: The car belongs to me, as it was part of my dowry. The furniture and appliances in the rental apartment can all be his. As for savings, we have none. His salary is with his mom, and my savings have been spent on the down payment and now returned to my account. We are clean.

I didn't ask for any compensation.

I just wanted to get out. As quickly as possible.

After sending the message, I blocked him again.

I didn't want to hear his roar, his accusations, or his pleading.

It was all meaningless.

Chen Jing came in with breakfast.

"You're up? How do you feel?"

"Never better," I said, taking a big bite of the youtiao.

It was crispy and delicious.

My appetite was back.

"I've asked for a few days off for you," Chen Jing said, sitting down across from me. "Your boss is a woman, she understands. She said to take care of yourself and not worry about work."

I felt a surge of gratitude.

"What are your plans now?" she asked.

"Divorce. Find a place to live. Start over." I said it calmly, as if I were talking about someone else's story.

"Good. You need anything, just ask. My home is your home."

Just then, my phone, which I had forgotten to mute, rang.

It was an unknown number.

I hesitated, but Chen Jing gave me an encouraging look.

I answered.

"Lin Man! You bitch! Where are you?! You come out right now!"

It was my mother-in-law's shrill, hysterical voice.

"You sold the house? Who gave you the right? That's our family's house! My son's house! You vixen, you're trying to take our family's money and run, aren't you?!"

Her voice was so loud and sharp that Chen Jing, sitting opposite me, could hear it clearly. She frowned, her face full of disgust.

"First," I said, my voice cold and steady, "that house was bought with my money. It has nothing to do with you or your son. Second, I'm not running. I'm getting a divorce. Third, if you call me again and curse at me, I will call the police."

"Divorce? You wish! You think divorce is that easy? Let me tell you, if you don't give us half the money from selling the house, I'll sue you! I'll go to your company and make a scene! I'll ruin your reputation! I'll see how you can still work in this city!"

The threat. The classic, shameless threat.

I used to be afraid of this.

I was afraid of losing face, of having my life disrupted.

But now, I was not afraid anymore.

When you've already hit rock bottom, you're not afraid of falling.

"Go ahead," I said lightly. "You can go to my company. You can tell them how your son, who earns eight thousand a month, gives all his money to you. You can tell them how you forced your daughter-in-law to add your name to a house she bought with her own money. You can tell them how, after she refused, you called and threatened her."

"You can tell everyone. Let's see who's the one who will be shamed."

There was silence on the other end.

She was probably stunned that I, the always obedient and submissive daughter-in-law, would talk back to her like this.

"You... you..." she stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.

I didn't wait for her to continue.

"Oh, and by the way," I added, "the house was sold at a discount. The five万定金 just came back to me. There's no 'half the money' to give you. If you don't believe me, you can go ask your precious son."

I hung up the phone and blocked the number.

A sense of exhilarating freedom washed over me.

It was the feeling of breaking free from shackles.

Chen Jing gave me a thumbs-up. "Awesome! That's how you should treat people like that!"

The next few days were a whirlwind.

Zhao Feng and his mother tried every means to contact me.

They came to Chen Jing's apartment and made a scene.

Chen Jing called the property management, and the security guards "escorted" them out.

They went to my company.

My boss, a formidable woman in her forties, met them in the conference room.

I don't know what she said, but they left with their tails between their legs and never came back.

Later, my boss called me.

"Lin Man," she said, "I've been through a divorce myself. I know how hard it is. But remember, a woman's greatest security comes from herself. Your ability is your greatest asset. Take your time. When you're ready, come back. Your position is waiting for you."

I cried on the phone.

I was so lucky.

In my darkest hour, I was surrounded by so much kindness and strength from other women.

Zhao Feng, seeing that his hard tactics didn't work, switched to soft ones.

He sent me long, long messages, reminiscing about our past, our love, our sweet moments.

He said he was wrong, that he was confused, that he was pressured by his mother.

He begged me to give him another chance.

If this had happened a week ago, I might have softened.

But now, reading those words, I felt nothing.

My heart was like a dead sea, without a single ripple.

Some things, once broken, can never be repaired.

Trust is one of them.

I replied with only one sentence: "If you agree to the divorce, we can still part on good terms. If you drag it out, we'll see you in court."

He finally gave up.

A week later, we met at the Civil Affairs Bureau.

He looked haggard and much older. His eyes were red and swollen.

He looked at me, his eyes full of pain and regret.

"Manman, do we really have to do this?"

I didn't look at him. I just handed him the documents.

"Sign it."

He held the pen for a long time, his hand shaking.

Finally, he signed his name.

When we walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau, each holding a small red book, the sun was shining brightly.

It was a beautiful day.

"Manman," he called out to me from behind.

I stopped, but didn't turn around.

"The money... my mom said... can you give me some? I have no money on me now. My salary card is with her."

His voice was low, almost pleading.

I turned around and looked at him.

The man I had loved for five years.

The man I had planned to spend the rest of my life with.

At this moment, he was like a pathetic stray dog, begging for a bone.

I suddenly felt a sense of sadness.

Not for him, but for myself.

For my blind and foolish past.

I took out my wallet, took out all the cash in it, about two thousand yuan.

I walked over and stuffed it into his hand.

"This is the last money I'm giving you," I said, looking into his eyes. "From now on, you are on your own."

I turned and walked away, without looking back.

I didn't take a taxi.

I walked along the street, letting the sun shine on me.

I felt incredibly light.

The past, the house, the marriage, the mother-in-law, the man...

They were all gone.

I was free.

I spent the next month getting my life back in order.

With Chen Jing's help, I rented a small apartment near my company.

It wasn't big, but it was all mine.

I went to IKEA and bought all my favorite furniture.

I painted one of the walls sky blue.

I bought a big, soft sofa and a lot of cushions.

I bought a coffee machine and a set of beautiful cups.

On the day I moved in, Chen Jing and a few colleagues came to help.

We ordered hot pot, drank beer, and sang out of tune.

Looking at the smiling faces around me, at my small but warm new home, my eyes filled with tears of joy.

This is my home.

A home that belongs only to me.

A home that gives me a sense of security, without needing anyone else's name on the deed.

I went back to work.

My mind was clear, my creativity was flowing.

I completed a big project and got a handsome bonus.

I used the bonus to sign up for a pottery class and a yoga class.

I started learning to cook.

I started to enjoy my own company.

Life was quiet, but fulfilling.

One weekend, I was at a cafe downstairs, reading a book.

Suddenly, I saw two familiar figures walking by.

It was Zhao Feng and his mother.

His mother was holding his arm, her face full of complaints.

Zhao Feng looked impatient and tired. He was much thinner, and his clothes were wrinkled.

They were arguing about something.

I could vaguely hear words like "rent," "money," "can't afford."

They didn't see me.

I watched them walk away, their figures hunched and weary.

I took a sip of my latte.

It was a little bitter, but the aftertaste was sweet.

I didn't feel any hatred or pleasure.

I just felt... calm.

They were a part of my past. A past that I had already walked out of.

My phone vibrated. It was a message from Chen Jing.

"The pottery you made last time is ready. It's beautiful! Are you free tonight? Let's go celebrate!"

I smiled and typed back: "Sure. My treat."

I looked out the window. The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink.

It was beautiful.

My life was just beginning.

来源：乐玩风dLAVx